GEO 125

Physical Geography

Earth/Sun Relationships

March 21st:

1. Perpendicular rays of the sun strike at the equator.

2. Vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere and autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere.

3. First day of spring in the northern hemisphere and first day of autumn in the southern hemisphere.

4. Twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness everywhere on the planet.

5. Circle of illumination extends from pole to pole.

June 21st:

1. Perpendicular rays of the sun strike at the Tropic of Cancer.

2. Summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and winter solstice in the southern hemisphere.

3. First day of summer in the northern hemisphere and first day of winter in the southern hemisphere.

4. The sun reaches its highest point in the sky above the horizon in the northern hemisphere an its lowest in the southern hemisphere.

5. Longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere and shortest day of the year in the southern hemisphere.

6. The north pole has twenty-four hours of daylight and the south pole has twenty-four hours of darkness.

September 21st:

1. Perpendicular rays of the sun strike at the equator.

2. Autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere and vernal equinox in the southern hemisphere.

3. First day of autumn in the northern hemisphere and first day of spring in the southern hemisphere.

4. Twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness everywhere on the planet.

5. Circle of illumination extends from pole to pole.

December 21st:

1. Perpendicular rays of the sun strike at the Tropic of Capricorn.

2. Winter solstice in the northern hemisphere and summer solstice in the southern hemisphere.

3. First day of winter in the northern hemisphere and first day of summer in the southern hemisphere.

4. The sun reaches its lowest point in the sky above the horizon in the northern hemisphere and highest in the southern hemisphere.

5. Shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere and longest day of the year in the southern hemisphere.

6. The north pole has twenty-four hours of darkness and the south pole has twenty-four hours of daylight.

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